Butterflies of
the Amazon and Andes
Pyralina Skipper
Gorgythion begga
PRITTWITZ,
1868
Family - HESPERIIDAE
subfamily -
PYRGINAE
tribe - PYRGINI
Gorgythion
begga pyralina, Catarata Bayoz, La Merced, Peru
Introduction
The
Pyrginae is a cosmopolitan subfamily, it's members being found in temperate and
tropical habitats throughout the world. The 990 neotropical species include 581
which are placed in the tribe Pyrgini, which
includes such well known genera as Urbanus, Astraptes, Bolla, Sostrata
and Mylon.
The
genus Gorgythion
contains 6 species, found variously from southern USA to Bolivia.
Gorgythion
begga is distributed from Texas to Bolivia.
Habitats
This is a lowland - mid elevation species, found at altitudes between sea level and about
1200m.
It occurs in a wide variety of disturbed habitats including forest clearings,
roadsides, riverbanks and scrub.
Lifecycle
To be completed.
Gorgythion
begga pyralina, Rio Pindayo, Peru
Adult behaviour
Males
of this species are typically encountered when mud-puddling in the
company of Cycloglypha,
Ebrietas,
Achlyodes and other dark spreadwing skippers, on river
sandbanks, forest paths and on burnt ground at the site of
campfires. They can also be seen perching on bushes or saplings,
often basking on projecting sprigs of foliage.
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